


Plans and Orders

by ami_ven



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Community: writerverse, F/M, Future Fic, Kid Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-08-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:14:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25724944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ami_ven/pseuds/ami_ven
Summary: “Why aren’t there more guys like you, Dad?”
Relationships: Samantha "Sam" Carter/Jack O'Neill
Comments: 8
Kudos: 73





	Plans and Orders

**Author's Note:**

> Written for LJ community "writerverse" phase 23 challenge 01 prompt 14 “The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.” (Theodore Hesburgh)
> 
> Part of my [Future Verse](http://ami-ven.livejournal.com/212977.html)

“Hey, there, kiddo.”

It was harder than it used to be for Jack to hoist himself up on the back deck railing, especially with a fishing pole in his hand, but A.J. didn’t look up as he settled beside her. The sixteen-year-old reeled in her own line, the little weight she was using instead of a hook bouncing along the grass. A.J. cast her line again, then let out a long breath and leaned against Jack’s shoulder.

“Why aren’t there more guys like you, Dad?”

“Well,” he said. “Then there would be too many boyishly handsome Air Force generals and not enough archaeologists or astrophysicists or whatever kind of artist your cousin Ernie is trying out this week.”

“I think it’s watercolors,” said A.J.

“Ah.” She was leaning on his left arm, but he could easily cast a line one-handed. “You want to talk about it?”

“ _No_ ,” she said – then, “I just didn’t know Brian was such a jerk! I mean, he should have figured I’d have some kind of plan for my life, even if we’d never talked about it.”

“I take it _he_ had a few ideas for you?” Jack asked, dryly.

“Exactly the opposite,” said A.J. “Don’t get me wrong, I liked his free-spirit personality. And just because _I_ know what I want to do with the rest of my life doesn’t mean I expect everyone else to have it all mapped out.”

“And that’s a problem?” said Jack.

“It is when he’s already decided that I’m just going to go along with whatever he plans – or _doesn’t_ plan – to do.”

“Ah.”

“And who does that?” she continued. “This is the twenty-first century! It should just be a given that every human person – or alien person – has some kind of plan for themselves, even if they haven’t got it all figured out, maybe, and that the people who claim to love them should support those plans. You support my plan, don’t you, Dad?”

“As long as you’re happy,” said Jack, which was the same thing he’d been telling her since the day she was born.

“And I know you met Mom after she already had her PhD, but you would _never_ try to tell her what to do! I mean,” A.J. added, “except for the part where it was your job to tell her what to do.”

“Not quite the same thing, kiddo,” said Jack. “But you know that.”

“I know. And I know that going into the Air Force means that some people are going to tell me what to do. But I’m choosing that and I’ll choose to follow orders. Probably.”

“That’s my girl,” said Jack.

“But at home,” A.J. continued. “In… in _love_ , I could never be with someone who didn’t respect me enough to let me make my own choices.”

Jack cast his line again. “So… you broke up with him?”

“Hell, yes,” she said, and reeled in her own line. “I hope I don’t have to wait as long as Mom for the right guy to come along, though. I’m hoping for one a little younger.”

“ _Younger_?” repeated Jack, mock-offended. “I have aged like fine wine, like brandy, just ask your mother, _she_ says—”

“Ew, gross, Dad,” laughed A.J., then hugged him. “Thanks.”

He pressed a kiss to her hair. “Anytime.”

THE END


End file.
